On of these days Bernard Hopkins will retire, rest on his laurels and prepare his induction speech for the Boxing Hall of Fame. It just will not be anytime soon.

Hopkins, who turns 45 in January, returns to the ring Wednesday when he takes on Enrique Ornelas of Los Angeles in a non-title light heavyweight bout at the Liacouras Center at Temple University. Versus will televise the scheduled 12-rounder live beginning at 8 p.m.

Hopkins, the long-time middleweight champion and former light heavyweight champ, hasn’t fought since Oct. 28, 2008, when he upset previously unbeaten Kelly Pavlik in Atlantic City. After proposed bouts with Chad Dawson and Tomasz Adamek never materialized for various reasons, Hopkins (49-5-1, 32 KOs) settled for Ornelas (29-5, 19 KOs) to stay busy and prepare for a long-awaited rematch with Roy Jones Jr. next spring.

“It wasn’t like I wasn’t trying to fight,” Hopkins said. “It was part political and part [bull]. But I want to get the dust off and I didn’t want to fight a tomato can. This guy is not a creampuff. He’s known for giving some people a tough fight.”

Hopkins took the fight not only to stay busy, but establish a relationship with Versus to use as a platform for future East Coast fights to be promoted by Golden Boy Promotions. It also will serve as a homecoming for the Philadelphia native, who is donating a portion of the ticket sales to charities.

He also has a three-fight plan, which sees him beating Ornelas, then Jones, then winning the heavyweight championship.

“I will win and will beat Roy Jones Jr., and I will become heavyweight champion in 2010,” Hopkins said. “But if I want to plan out my three-fight hit list, I have to take care of this fight like he’s Roy Jones. If I don’t, everything is blown up if I don’t win Dec. 2.”

Hopkins said he has made few concessions to his age and doesn’t think 14 months out of the ring has caused his skills to erode.

“I don’t even look at 45 as something I should worry about,” Hopkins said. “I’ve got some kinks here and there, but I will always be ahead of the average guy that is 45 and going to work every day. I know people are trying to figure out when I’m going to look like I’m 45. But I’m the modern day Archie Moore. I’m that throwback Philadelphia fighter that didn’t let the streets destroy me.”

The 10-round bout will be on the “Hustler Boxing” card promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing at the Manhattan Center. Versus will air the card live, the first-ever televised female championship by the network.

“Words cannot describe what winning a championship in New York would mean to me,” said Shea, who is now being trained by the highly regarded Tommy Brooks. “To be from New York and to have a large fan base in New York share this moment with me is a dream come true.”